Sherrington: Aggies’ best chance at repeat upset is tiring the Tide

2/26

Bob Levey/Getty Images

COLLEGE STATION, TX - SEPTEMBER 07: Johnny Manziel #2 of the Texas A&M Aggies celebrates with Sabian Holmes #23 of the Texas A&M Aggies after he scores in the first quarter against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at Kyle Field on September 7, 2013 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Witnessing firsthand Texas A&M’s historic win over
Alabama in Tuscaloosa was a signature career event, something to tell the
grandkids, assuming 1.) They’ll listen and 2.) I can remember breakfast.

But get this straight: If the Aggies do it again Saturday in College Station,
it just may trump last year’s 29-24 drama.

If Kevin Sumlin makes it two in a row over Nick Saban, A&M better lock
him up before he gets ransomed by some NFL team. Or Texas.

And if Johnny Manziel bamboozles the Crimson Tide again, he’ll have earned
his bookend Heismans.

Back-to-back wins over the best team in college football wouldn’t be the same
as winning a national title, but it’d be close. And it’d probably be harder to
do.

Beating a Saban-coached Alabama team two years in a row won’t be difficult
just because no one’s done it except Les Miles and LSU. Consider a dissimilar
set of circumstances.

Unless Sumlin has something up his sleeve, the Aggies can’t take the Crimson
Tide by surprise this time. Tempo was the difference last year. Sumlin’s
singular genius was to put Alabama’s defense on its heels from the outset. The
Aggies were so quick, they ran 27 plays in the first quarter alone. Some teams
don’t run much more than that in a half.

Alabama’s big guys up front barely had time to roll their tongues back up
into their heads after chasing Johnny Football all over the field before it was
time for another snap. Saban didn’t have time to get his preferred matchups on
defense, either.

The result: The Aggies jumped out to a 20-0 lead after the first quarter, and
that was the difference in the game.

Frankly, even if Saban expects it, I’d try to push it again Saturday,
especially early. No offense can afford to let Saban and his defensive
coordinator, Kirby Smart, sit back and scheme. A fast pace always plays in the
offense’s favor against a great defense. Chip Kelly proved that at Oregon, and
he’s proving it in Philadelphia. He ultimately may not have enough players to
keep it up in the pros, but that’s hardly a problem in college football, given
the size of rosters.

When Saban and others complain that they fear for the safety of players with
these uptempo offenses, what they’re really saying is, “I don’t have time to
figure this out.”

Tempo should be critical again Saturday. Even if the Aggies press the issue,
though, other factors can’t be duplicated. Like personnel. The Aggies’ defense
stepped up against AJ McCarron and the rest of the Alabama offense last year
with big plays from people such as Sean Porter, who’s a Bengal now. Deshazor
Everett, who made the game-clinching end zone interception, is back, but he’s
played exactly one half in each of the Aggies’ first two games because of
suspensions.

Which is more than most of his defensive peers can say. A half dozen should
return after various suspensions, and not a minute too soon, either. Rice’s
offensive line pushed the Aggies up and down the field in the opener, and the
Owls won’t be mistaken for Alabama’s road graders.

Can those returning starters respond in top form in their first game action?
Hard to say. But it’s another reason that the game everyone has been pointing
toward since last season would have been better in, say, November.

So with the element of surprise gone, and most of the defense a question, the
burden falls on Johnny Football.

His outstanding play in Tuscaloosa cemented the Heisman, which wasn’t a given
after a shaky performance in a loss to LSU three weeks earlier. Against Alabama,
he threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 92. As good as those
numbers look, they don’t do justice to how they played out on a football
field.

Manziel will have to be just as good, if not better, for the Aggies to win
again.

Saban’s defense will be ready. He’ll try to keep Manziel in the pocket and
make him beat them from that small plot. If the Tide succeeds with that plan,
all is lost for the Aggies. Once Manziel gets outside containment, though,
there’s nothing Saban’s preparation can do. As any dog-tired, dirt-stained rodeo
kid will tell you, there’s no defense for a greased pig.

Saban will come with smaller, faster personnel packages to contain Manziel,
and Sumlin must counter with a bruising running game. The chess match should
last long into the afternoon. Time will tell if it turns into history.

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About Kevin Sherrington

Kevin Sherrington, a general sports columnist, was born in Dallas and grew up in Houston. He has worked at five newspapers in Texas. He has worked at The Dallas Morning News since 1985. He had no idea his career would come to blogging.